(ILLINOIS) William Weldon Watson Letter discussing a Mormon

Sale 2633 - Lot 100

Price Realized: $ 750

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Estimate: $ 600 - $ 900

(ILLINOIS.) William Weldon Watson. Letter discussing a Mormon preacher, Californian emigration, and more. Autograph Letter Signed as W.W. Watson to his sister Harriet Kimble Watson (1813-1888) of Morristown, NJ. 4 pages, 12 1/4 x 7 1/2 inches, on one folding sheet, with address panel and inked postal stamps on final page; partial separations at folds, partial repairs, seal tear slightly affecting text, foxing. Springfield, IL, 24 February 1849

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William Weldon Watson (1794-1874) was born and raised in New Jersey and went west as a young man, settling in Springfield, IL by 1840. His greatest contribution to history is perhaps as the paternal great-great-great-grandfather to James Dewey Watson, Jr. (born 1928), the renowned molecular biologist who helped discover the structure of DNA.

In addition to church and family news, Watson discusses an ex-Mormon preacher who had gone to New Jersey: "I was verry glad to hear that you interested yourself in getting up Mr. Yalend's donation party & was glad to hear that they were pliese at the result. I hope they will be able to apreciate your good feeling towards them. How does Brother Yalend get along in the church? Is he as well-liked as he was, or was it because it was a Mourmon that people went to see & hear him? I take him to be a verry fair preacher & a very good man, therefore hope that he would move well."

Wilson also discusses (as everyone was in 1849) the California Gold Rush: "In talking about California, by the by, has Mr. King gone? If not, when does he start, for I certainly think he could not stand the golden news without making an effort to get some. Willy has gone & I think if he can dig gold, any man can. The doctor, his wife's friend, helps him off & I suppose takes care of the wife while he is gone. Nice business that. . . . Benjamin & Tom Bilson is agoing to California. They start 20th March certain."